Horn of Africa drought: timeline

The drought in the Horn of Africa is affecting 12.4 million people, according to the United Nations, which says that the continent is facing its most serious food crisis since the famine in Somalia in 1991-1992. Here is a timeline of the crisis"

Save the Children's East Africa famine appeal last year was the most successful in the charity's historyPhoto: REUTERS

9:00AM BST 25 Aug 2011

FEBRUARY 2011

17: Malnutrition has increased in the last six months in southern Somalia and more than 30 per cent of the population remain in crisis, UN under secretary general for humanitarian affairs, Valerie Amos, says after a visit to the region.

JUNE

9: The Dabaab refugee camp in eastern Kenya is facing a humanitarian emergency due to severe overcrowding, mainly with Somalis who have fled fighting back home, Doctors Without Borders says.

22: Somalia's insurgent Shebab say a ban on foreign aid groups remains in force and rejects the UN declaration that parts of the country had been hit by famine.

24: The International Red Cross says it has handed out 400 tonnes of food in drought-hit parts of rebel-held southern Somalia.

25: The World Bank pledges more than $500 million (£300m) to aid the region, as United Nations aid chiefs meet in Rome to discuss ramping up relief efforts. Non-governmental organisations criticise the donors' efforts.

29: The UN says $2.4 billion is needed to help victims of the drought.

AUGUST

1: Tens of thousands of Somalis have already been killed by the famine and hundreds of thousands are threatened, according to the UN's Amos. In the Dabaab camp the UN children's agency UNICEF launches a mass vaccination against polio and measles.

2: Uganda may become the next country to fall victim to severe food shortages, the UN food agency warns.

3: Famine has spread to three new regions of Somalia. The three areas are the Afgoye corridor IDP settlement, the Mogadishu IDP community and in the Balaad and Adale districts of Middle Shabelle.

5: At least five people are killed when an armed gang raids a camp in the Somali capital and steals relief food.

6: Rebels says they have abandoned their positions in Mogadishu. On the 9 the government offers an open amnesty to remaining Shebab fighters.

10: The UN says about half the Somali population, about 3.7 million people, are now at risk from famine.

11: The US says it will increase its aid to $580 million.

17: Members of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation promise to donate $350 million dollars to Somalia.

19: Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan visits Mogadishu.

24: Famine is set to spread to two new southern Somali regions, the top UN humanitarian aid official for the country warns. The European Union says that the international community has a moral obligation to help the Horn of Africa, on the eve of a pledging conference organised by the African Union in the Ethiopian capital.